The invention relates generally to knock down, corrugated cardboard containers and more particularly to a knock down, corrugated cardboard container having a bottom, an integral rear wall assembly having partial sidewalls, removable retaining clips and a removable front wall assembly. Because the knock down height of the carton is approximately one-fourth to one-fifth the height of the assembled container, it may be efficiently stored in this condition and is readily assembled and reused.
Shipping easily damaged components such as glass lights or motor vehicle body parts to assemblers often requires containers constructed from heavy, rigid and relatively expensive materials such as metal and wood which are not readily recyclable and because of their size and weight are not efficiently returned for re-use. These containers are generally loaded and shipped from a component manufacturing facility to an assembly facility where they are unloaded. When rigid and constructed from permanent or non-recyclable materials, the containers also occupy storage space at both the manufacturing facility before they are filled and the assembly facility after they are emptied.
If the containers are to be reused, they are often shipped back to the manufacturing facility empty. Such deadheading is costly and wastes valuable space and resources, but is often unavoidable because many shipping containers are dedicated, i.e., are task specific, and thus unsuited for shipment of other articles. The expense of deadheading can be reduced by utilizing the container for shipment on the return trip, or eliminated by recycling the container or disposing of it. All of these options have drawbacks, however.
Disposable containers, since they are intended for a single use, are typically constructed from inexpensive materials. Such containers also tend to utilize an absolute minimum of material. Accordingly, with some regularity, they do not provide sufficient protection for their contents. Their reduced cost may thus be offset by increased damage to the shipped goods.
Recyclable containers are constructed from materials that are inexpensive and either uniform or diverse but compatible from a recycling standpoint. If any non-compatible or non-recyclable material is used, it should be easily separable from the recyclable portions of the container. If it is not, it may significantly raise the cost of recycling or effectively render the container non-recyclable.
Another frequently encountered problem, noted above, relates simply to the space occupied by empty containers. Typical cartons and boxlike containers are stored either fully assembled or, if so designed, in a disassembled or broken down state. Containers stored in a fully assembled state occupy large amounts of space. Containers stored in a disassembled state may require significant time and effort to assemble, thereby increasing the overall cost of their use. Hence, improvements in containers that address minimal storage and return size as well as easy reuse and recyclability are desirable.
A knock down, corrugated cardboard container includes a flat unitary bottom panel adapted for support by a conventional pallet. The bottom panel includes partial, integral stub sidewalls and an integral, hinged panel defining a full height rear wall and full height partial sidewalls. A pair of retaining clips are received within slotted openings in the stub sidewalls and partial sidewalls which are aligned when the rear wall and partial sidewalls are upright and adjacent the stub sidewalls. A full height front wall disposed opposite the full height rear wall also includes partial, full height sidewalls. A removable top or closure completes the carton assembly.